Bolster mounting



Nov. l2', 1929,. F, w, I Ewls BoLsTER MOUNTING Filed Aug. 4,A 1928 z shets-sheet 1 INVENTOR v Fran WfLgw/s p ATTQRNEY N0 l2 1929 F. w. LEwls v 1,735,830

l I oLsTER MOUNTING l Filed Aug. 4.1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR wrran/(m/.Lewis i BY y -v y A* MLC ATTORNEY members carried by the truck frame and are v Patented Nov. 121 1929 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK'W. LEWIS, or DAVENPORT, IOWA, AssIGNoR'To THE RETTENDORF COMPANY, vor BETTENDORF, IOWA, A CORPORATION or IOWA BOLSTER MOUNTING Application led August 4, 1928. Serial No. 297,468.

This invention relates to bolster mountings and more particularly to spring supports for the ends of the bolsters of railway car trucks.

Truck holsters are commonly mounted for vertical movement between suitable guide supported at their ends upon'. suitably arranged groups of compression springs so that the car body is yieldably supported upon the trucks and sudden variations in load due to irregularities in the track are in part absorbed by the bolster springs. The loadsv imposed lon the springseats which are mounted on the tension chords of the -side frame me 1nbers-of the truck cause severe bending strains 'tending to distort the frame.

It is an important object of the invention to provide tension chords of such form and a.

spring mounting oflsuch character that the original shape is less' subj ect to distortion.

Lateral movements of the bolster in its' guides due to increase or decrease in rate of travel may cause a very considerable ricf tional resistance to vertical movements of the bolster with the result that shocks may' be transmitted directly to the truckl frame instcad'of through the springs due to binding ot the bolster in its'guides.

It is an object of the presentinvention to.

provide va mounting for the bolster in which some of the bolster supporting springs. are so mounted that they perform the dual function of sustaining the ve-rtical load and taking up lshocksand strains tending to move the bolster longitudinally of the side frame members and which permits substantially free vertical movements of the bolster and greatly reduces rictional interference between thebolster and its guides, *thereby greatly increasing the effectiveness of the bolster supporting springs inv cushioning the shocks vimposed on thebolster.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car truck in which the -side frame' members are stronger and capable of carrying .greater loads than side frame members of conventional design. Y

' A further object/of the invention is to provde a spring mounting for holsters which 1s applicable to practically all of the various types of railway car trucks now in use and which may be embodied in the various bolster spring` groupings employed -in such trucks.

With' the above and other objects in view,

. the invention may be said to comprise a bolf ster mounting as illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with suchl variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled inthe art to which the invention appertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthe specification in which:

'Figure 1 isa fragmentary top plan view showing a-portion of one side of a`railway carv truck to-which a bolster mounting 'einbodying the invention has been applied.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the portion of the car truck shown in Fig. 1 .I

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line indi-l cated at 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are a fragmentary plan view and side elevation, respectively, showing the invention applied tol a bolster mounting in which a different rgrouping of springs is,r

employed.

Figs. 6 and 7 are `a top plan view and side elevation, respectively, showing the invention .applied to a bolster mounting in which still another arrangement of springs is employed.

Figs. 8 and 9 are a top'planv view and lside l eleYation, respectively, showing the invention ,applied to a bolster mounting having a furthe modication of' the spring grouping.

Figs. 10 and 11 are a top plan and-side elevation, respectively, showing the invention on the axles of wheels 2. p Each of the side frame members 1 has an upper or compression chord 3 and a lower or tension chord 4 and these chords are connected by spaced columns 5 formed integrally therewith, the columns 5 and spaced chords 3 and 4 lforming a bolster receiving opening 6 which is wider adjacent the bottom thereof than adjacentthe top to permit insertion of the bolster, the upper portions of the columns 5 being formed to provide vertical guide portions 7 for aftransverse `bolster 8. The bolster 8 is provided with laterally projecting guide ribs 9 which overv lie the inner and outerfaces of the guide portion 7 of the columns to limit the movements of the bolster.

The bolster 8 has its bottom' formed adjacent the' ends thereof to provide seats for supporting springs, the central portion 10 of the bottom face of the bolster being flat and lying substantially in a horizontal plane. On opposite sides of the central portion 10, the

endwise bottom face of the bolster is inclined upwardly to provide oppositely inclinedseats 11. lI have discovered that if the intermediate portion 'of the tension chord of the side frame member is downwardly cambered instead of straight andl horizontally disposed, the side frame member is stronger and capable of carrying greater loads than side frame members of conventional design.A The constructionof Vthe intermediate portion of the tensionchord in this manner has the further advantage of providing spring seats which are so .disposed with relation to the bolster that some or all of the springs depending on the number used, may be so disposed with respect to the bolster as to take up shocks exerted on the bolster which tend to move the bolster longitudinally lof the frame member and transversely of the bolster guides thereby holding the bolster lcentered in the bolster opening.

The intermediate portion of the tension chord 4 .extending across the bottom of the bolster opening 6 is. downwardly cambered to provide a support for a metal plate 12 which"'serves as a springseat. The spring seat 12 conforms tothe downwardly cambered intermediate portion of the chord 4 and has a central portion 13 directly beneath the central seating portion 1Q vof the bolster, which is .horizontally disposed and on opposite sides of the centralportion 13 has upwardly inclined seating portions 14 which are disposed substantially parallel with the inclined seating portions l1 on the bottom face of the bolster. Vertically` disposed coil springs 16 are interposed between .the horizontal seating portion 10 of the bolster and the horizontal portion 13 of the spring seat, and laterally inclined coil `springs. 16- are interposed between `,the inclined seating por-J tions 11 on the underside of the bolster and the inclined portions 14 of the spring seat. A As shown in Figs. 1, 2 andl 3, the springs are arranged in two rows extending longitudinallyof the side frame member, two of the springs being vertically disposed beneath the longitudinal axes of the bolster and tivo springs being interposed between the inclined seating portions of the bolster and seat on cach side of the central vertically disposed springs. The opposite inclination of thesprings 16 on opposite sides of the central axis of the bolster causes these inclined sprlngs to eXert ylateral thrusts inopposite directions upon the bolster and since the vent lateral movements of the bolster which' ca use frictional interference between the bol-` ster and guides. The bolster is thus caused to move vertically between the guides substantially without frictional resistance so that the springs are permitted to .exert their full .cushioning 'effect when sudden increases in the load are transmitted to them through the bolster so that the truck frame'members are relieved of severe stresses which would otlierwise be imparted to them by frictional engagement of the bolster in its movements up and down within the frame members.

It should be noted that the tension chord 4 has a general curvature conforming to the upper spring seating surface thereof, the chord 4 having its lowest portion beneath the cent-ral seat 13 and being inclined upwardly beneath the inclined seats 14. The shape of the 'chord 4 is substantially that which the v chord would tend to assume under load, so

under load is `reduced to a minimum.

In Figs. 4 and 5 ofthe drawing, therev is shown a modied bolster mounting in which a side frame member is provided with a relatively wide bolster opening 21 to receive the widened end 22 of the bolster, the widened end 22 being provided with guide ribs 23 similar to the guide ribs 9 labove described and overlying the opposite faces ofy the frame member along the opposite sides of the bolster opening 21. t

tom face formed to provide a central horizontal seatingportion 24 and upwardly inclined seating portions 25 on opposite sides of theseating portion 24. The frame member 20 is formed to provide a support across the bottom of the bolster opening 21 for a steel plate The widened end 22 of the bolster has a bot- 26, which `forms a spring seat. The "spring seat 26 has a central portion 27 which lies directly beneath the central portion 24 on the `"un'der side of the ybolster and upwardly inclined side portions 28 which are substantialsprings 29 are inclined springs 30 interposed n o between the inclinedv seatingportions and o 28 of the bolster and spring seat, a single `spring 30 being provided at each end ofthe spring seat, the inclined springs 30 serving the same purpose as the inclined springs 16 l in the arrangement first described,and the tension chord being shaped similarly to the chord shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to reduce the bending stresses.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, there is shown a side frame member 31 which is provided with a relativelyV narrow bolster receiving opening 32 in which the end of a bolster 33' is slidably mounted, The under face of the bolster 33 hasroppositely inclined seating portions 34 which converge to the longitudinal center line of the bolster. bottom of the bolster opening 32, there is' mounted aspring seat 35 which has oppositely inclined side portions 36 which converge to the center line of the seat which is directly .beneath the center line of thebolster. Op-

positely inclined compression coil springs 37 are interposed between the oppositely inclined seating portions 36 of the spring seat 35 and the oppositely inclined seating portions 34 on the under side of the bolster. The oppositely inclined springs 37 being arranged in two parallel rows extending longitudinally of the bolster and transversely ofthe side o frame members, Yall of the supporting springs in this modification being inclined, one-half of the total number of springs being inclined in one direction and the other half thereof in the opposite direction.

In this modification, also, the curvature of the tension chord conforms to the inclination of the seats so that the loads are supported I with a minimum of bending stresses in the chord. l

In Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawing, there is shown a spring mounting in which the springs are arranged in a circular group. In this modification, a side frame member 40 is provided with a bolster receiving opening 41 in which the bolster 42 is slidably mounted. The bolster has on its under face, a central horizontally disposed seating portion 43 and on opposite sides of the horizont-al central` portion, upwardly inclined seating portions 44. At the bottom of the bolster receiving opening41, there is mounteda spring seat 45t which has a central horizontal portion 46 and upwardly inclined seating portions 47 on op- At the vsprings 48 are arranged in a row between the horizontal seating portions of the bolster andl a spring seat and on each side of this central row, are arranged two laterally inclined springs 49 which rest at their lower ends on ythe inclined portions 47 of the spring seat and bear at their upper ends against the inclined z seating portions 44 of the bolster. The

centers of the springs 49 being arranged midway betwen the centers of the middle and end springs of the central row so as to provide a substantially circular grouping of six springs about a centralspring.

Figs. 10 and 1l of the drawing show a spring vmounting in which the springs are grouped in a manner similar to that shown "in Figs. 8 and 9, except that in this modification, only two of the springs have lateral inclination. In this modification, a framemernber50 is provided with a bolsterrecei'ving opening 51 in which the end of the b olster 52 is slidably mounted. The bolster 52 has on its under face, a central horizontal seating portion 53 and inclined seating portions 54 on opposite sides of the seating portion 53. At the bottom of the bolster opening 51, there is a spring seat 55 which has a central horizontal portion 56 and inclined seat ing portions 57 on opposite sides of the central seating 4portion 56.. vFive supporting springs 58 are'disposed vertically and interposed between the horizontal seating portions of the bolster and spring seat and asingle spring 59 is interposed between' thein-l clined seating portions 54 and 57 at each side Y of the horizontal seating portions of the bolster and spring seat. 'In this modification, the circularly grouped springs are arranged so that there is a central row ofthree springs extending longitudinally of the side frame member instead of longitudinally of the bolster as in the'modification shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the endsprings of this central row being the springs which are set at an inclinationf i Fig. 12 of the drawing shows the invention appliedvto a bolster mounting of the type in *rotatably mounted therein, a bolster carry-A ing member 62 which is provided with verl tically disposed guides 63 between which the bolster 64 may move vertically. vThe bolster 64 has on the bottom face thereof oppositely inclined seats 65 and the supporting member 62 carries a spring seat 66 beneath the bolster which has`inclined seating portions 67 substantially parallel with the inclined seating portions 65 of the bolster'.

Inclined springs 68 are interposed between the inclined seating portions 65 of the bolster and 67 ofthe spring seat, these springs acting in the sanie vmanner as the laterally inclined springs in the modification above. 'described to center the bolster with. respect to its guides and prevent frictional interference with the movements of the bolster. l'

In each of the modifications above described, bolter supporting springs which areoppositely inclined tend to maintainI the bolster in a central position with respect to its guides and substantially free from frictional i be made without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims. i WhatI claimis: f

l. In a railway car truck having a yieldably supported bolster, vertical guide-members on opposite sides of the bolster, a spring .seat beneath the bolster, and oppositely inclined compression ,coil Springs interposed between vthe bolster and seat.

2. In a railway car truck having a transverse bolster, which has oppositely inclined yfaces on theunder side thereof, vertical guide members on opposite sidesvof the bolster, av spring seat beneath the bolster having :faces substantially parallel with the inclined facesv `of the bolster, and supporting springs interposed between the substantially parallelfaces of the bolster and seat.

3. In a railway car truck having a trans- A verse bolster, said bolster having' a bottom seat beneath the bolster and having a hori-l face provided with a central horizontally disposed portion and'side portions inclined upwardly :trom said central portion, a spring zontally disposed central portion and upwardly inclined side portions, springs interposed between the horizontal central portions of the bolster land seat, and springs interposed lbetween the inclined portions of the v bolster and seat.

4. In a railway car truck having a trans-v verse bolster, a side frame member having a bolster receiving opening in which an end of the bolster is mounted for vertical movement,

a spring seat supported upon-the bottom of said bolster opening, and oppositely inclined compression coil springs interposed between esv said seat and the under side of the bolster. l.

5, In a railway car truck, a bolster, a spring seat beneath the bolster, vertically disposed compression coil springs interposed between the central portions of the bolster and seat, compression coil springs interposed member having a compression chord and a tension chord, said tension chord havin a downwardly cambered intermediate port-ion, aV bolsterextending into the space between said chords, and inclined supporting'springs interposed between theA cambered portion of the tension chord and said bolster.

7. A side frame member for car trucks having a bolster receiving opening and a tension chord extending across the bottom of the opening, the portion of vthe tension chord across the bottom of said opening beingdownwardly cambered and having oppositely inclined spring supporting portions at opposite sides of the vertical center plane of the opening. I v y 8. A side frame member for car trucks ,having a compression chord and a tension chord, spaced columns` integrally connected with said chords and forming between them a bolster opening, the portion of the tension chord lying between said columns being downwardly cambered and having oppositely inclined 'spring supporting portionsat opposite sides ot the verticalcenter plane of the opening..

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

FRANK W. LEWIS.b 

